Things You Should Bring With You to Japan as an ALT

A 6th grade student tries on a Canadian hockey jersey.

Packing for a year (or more) is difficult. There are tons of things to bring and little space to bring them in. I know the last thing new JETs need is a list of MORE things to pack, but here are some things I brought or wished I had.



Yearbooks
Useful during self introductions or for talking about school in your country, yearbooks will surely intrigue your students. I didn't bring any, but I really wish I had! I know suitcase space is precious, but one yearbook wouldn't take up a lot of space.

Photos
Digital or hard copy, photos are a great thing to bring! These will be most useful during your self introduction lessons, but also for lessons about your country, holiday lessons, or lessons about school life in your country. Document your daily life - the students will be interested to see what your hobbies are or what you have for meals. I have some, but I really wish I had brought more, especially of me during my school days.

Videos
If you have any home videos that are relevant to holidays, your life, your country, or your school days, they would be great to bring along. I wish I had some! As it is, I get all that kind of stuff from Youtube, which is fine, but I can tell you the students would be extra thrilled to watch something more personal.

Things That Represent Your Country
I brought a Canadian hockey jersey, a flag, and some money. These were big hits - at elementary school the kids liked to try on the jersey, and everyone was really interested in the plastic money. Later on I also acquired a can of maple syrup. If your school allows it, you could also bring in some food samples.

Student Rewards
Bringing some special stickers, pennies, stationary supplies, or other knick knacks can work well as incentives for students. I brought some Canadian flag stickers to give out during my self introduction lessons.

Books
I brought along a bunch of children's books in English to give to my elementary school. They really appreciated it. I also was able to use them during reading time. I made sure to bring some which represented my country - in this case, books written about Canadian subjects by a famous author from my town.

Makeup and Toiletries
It can be difficult to find makeup that matches your shade. I can't find the brand I use here at all. I brought some with me, but I wish I had brought more. I ended up ordering off of iherb.com and buying the rest at the store. Other things to consider bringing, if you are particular: deodorant, toothpaste, facial cleansers

Food
If you have a favorite food that is safe to bring, I recommend bringing it. I ran out of room, but I had planned to bring peanut butter. They have it here, but its ridiculously expensive. Also, oatmeal, yeast, and chocolate chips, since I like to bake. Of course you can find most things here or order them online, but its expensive and sometimes I can't figure out the Japanese directions. I only recommend bringing food if you have the space available; it should be a low priority.

Medicine and Vitamins
If you have an affinity for particular medicine or vitamins, it may be worth it to bring some along (of course keeping in mind restrictions on amounts and illegal substances). I am fond of Advil as my painkiller of choice, but its impossible to find North American brands here and I feel uncomfortable taking something without being able to read the instructions or ingredients.  I brought along a big bottle and had my mom bring some when she visited. I wish I had brought more. And even though I order vitamins from iherb, I can't get the brand I usually bought back in Canada.

Clothing
If you are anything larger than a North American size M or L, think seriously about bringing a full wardrobe of clothing (including undergarments and shoes if over size 24-28cm!), because choices outside of large cities may be limited. Extremely limited. And while you can buy some clothing online, there's no guarantee that it fits until you try it on. I really wish I had more effectively planned and bought a wardrobe before leaving.